The Destruction of Lux and Tenebrae
by RathRoibenRye94
Summary: Tenebrae, ruler of Darkness, controls the land of Elysium from a throne of lies and The Council of Light wishes to overthrow their dark tyrant, but knows that only one being is capable of destroying Will this being fight the evil and restore good back to the world?
1. Impudence

The bell chimed, "DING DONG DING DONG." The dark clouds that loomed over the castle grew heavier with every passing moment. Midnight was upon them. Stinging rain that welted the flesh fell in a rapid, continuous shower outside. Bursts of light illuminated the sky for brief moments, throwing hard shadows on the lonely castle. The mountains seemed to shudder as deafening claps of noise shook them to the core, making the glass of the castle windows moan and creak with a seldom seen sense of sorrow. The Great Hall was alive with laughter, candles flickering with life and joy as the hall shook with the weight of merry feet. The king and queen sat upon thrones of immense wealth, stained with the blood of their achieved power. Their armies lay in shallow graves all across Elysium, bodies strewn across buildings where wars were fought and won. They sat and they drank while the nobility of all the land joined them in their spoils.

A sudden burst of light struck the ground just outside the Great Hall, making the feet of the dancers grow still and fearful. Orange flames licked the ancient oak tree as if to comfort a grieving lover. The oak stood higher than the Hall, its branches strong and protective. Hard rain hardly touched the flames, continuing to batter against the glass windows of the castle like an angered group of captives thirsty for their freedom. The guests of the king and queen laughed at the flames, their voices rising in a haughty manner as they scolded the flames. "You will not stop us!" They screamed, their impropriety growing with the amount of fermented drink they consumed. They danced- oh, did they dance- till the meats of their feet were bleeding and their limbs grew black and blue with abuse.

The intensity of the falling rain increased as midnight drew closer, the flashes of light increased until the sky was only ever dark for a few seconds at a time. The clap of thunder shook the very building to its foundations, but the guests and the hosts seemed not to care.

"My friends! My allies! My disciples! My people! Lend me your ears!" The king stood, his breath drenched with the fumes of alcohol. He stumbled and found his royal behind back in his throne. He laughed and stood again, white and trembling fingers gripping the edge of the chair to steady himself. "Today is the day we destroyed the Gods! We are the future, not they!" He belched, falling back into his throne with a burst of laughter escaping his pompous mouth. "The Temple to Lux and Tenebrae… both hath fallen! The inhabitants of Mount Olympus are slain! We are VICTORIOUS!"

The crowd cheered, their feet stomping on the Hall's marble floor. The glass windows creaked, shattering in a blinding burst of light. Glass flew into the Great Hall, forcing the dancers to drop to their stomachs, their arms covering their heads- as if that could save them. The wings of the guests broke free of their imprisonments, covering their bodies to protect themselves. The king and queen cowered in their thrones, their wings bloodying as glass shot through them rapidly, heartlessly.


	2. The Goddess of Light

A burst of light brighter than the sun struck in the middle of the Hall, burning the eyes of any who looked at it directly. From it came a being with wings of a splendid white- not a trace of color found within them. The guests and hosts looked up to see this being, bodies shaking with fear and exhaustion. Once the light dispelled from the burst, the figure of a woman could be seen.

She had hair of golden fire that flickered in the wind coming from the glassless windows. She wore a breast band of light, the skirt that started at her hips and ended in the middle of her thigh on the left side and her knee on the right made of a blue fire. Light illuminated her, even though most of the candles had gone out by then.

The king stood, anger in his brown eyes. His wings were white with small brown spots, making him appear as if a Great Horned Owl. He looked the woman up and down, lingering on her breasts and wings. He pulled his sword from the sheath at his side clumsily. The woman did not smile at his blunder, her eyes of liquid fire only growing hotter with hatred.

"Who are you, woman, and what are you doing here?! How dare you interrupt my triumph!" His voice slurred as he pointed the sword at her, only an inch or so from her neck. She looked down at him, standing at about 8 feet tall. From a sheath at her waist that the king could not see, the woman drew a beautifully crafted sword. The blade was made of the finest of diamonds, encased in a red fire. The hilt was of solid gold, glittering sapphire's and emerald's decorating the intricate guard. The pommel was the largest ruby the king had ever seen. "How…how dare you. Who do you think you are?!" He bellowed, his eyes opening and closing rapidly as he stumbled backwards a step, barely catching himself.

"One who has been insulted" Every syllable she said was perfectly enunciated. She did not remove her eyes from the kings, her back straightening as her wings extended fully. In one fluid moment, the sword cut cleanly through the king's neck. The fire had lost its flame for a moment; forcing blood to spurt from his neck in a quick and jagged fountain of hot liquid. The woman lowered her sword, now looking up at the knights that surrounded her. "Do not proceed." Was all she said, sword held loosely in her right hand.

They did not obey.

Two of the knights advanced on the woman, their swords hastily being pulled from their sheaths to strike down the murderer of their king. The flame reappeared, illuminating the dark room with red fire. The woman closed her eyes, taking a deep breath and raising her sword. She cut down the men quickly, their limbs cauterized by the flame. The rest of the knights moved in, stumbling over the unmoving forms on the floor before them. The woman did not hesitate to slice her sword through them. One lucky knight managed to get his sword close enough to her to slice her thigh. Light shone through the cut, blinding the man who had cut her. She quickly dismembered him, taking his head in her hands and pulling it from his shoulders in one flawless movement.

Several of the guests rose to their feet to flee, their wings stained with blood and the colors of their inheritance. The woman frowned, raising her hand and pointing it at the fleeing people. Fire surrounded them, attaching to their skin and clawing into their flesh. The woman smiled sadistically, looking around her to see more of the people cowering in fear. She planted her feet shoulder-width apart, taking a deep breath and closing her eyes. From all around her a bright light illuminated the terrified guests, flame attaching to their skin and burning them to a fine powder in but a few moments. Fire consumed the Great Hall, allowing only one person to flee, their skin forever scorched by the red flame of Lux, the Goddess of Light.


	3. Elysium

_Not all light is good… nor all darkness evil._

Elysium had never seen a darker time. The land was surrounded by dark clouds constantly, the sun only shining through in certain areas of the land. Only enough food as was necessary to survive was grown, any extra sent straight to the sovereign of Elysium: Tenebrae. The God of Darkness showed little mercy, granting small portions of his preserves in exchange only for specific goods. He cherished jewels, especially sapphires and emeralds. He found an odd sort of pleasure in blood-rubies and coveted large diamonds. If the mood took Tenebrae, he would occasionally freely give away a portion of his unwanted food to starving infants. This mood was rare, however, and Tenebrae was fonder of gold, treasure, and blood than he was of saving starving children.

Tenebrae ruled Elysium for two centuries, never aging a day as his subjects lived and died around him. The City of Darkness housed his Palace of Shadows, where he had ruled for almost one hundred eighty years after he had grown tired of the Forgotten Palace: as it is now called.

Tenebrae's wings were of the darkest night, shadow within shadow that clung to him like static electricity. His eyes were generally a deep emerald green, his skin perfectly tanned. His hair was jet-black and fell to just above his eyes, curling out ever-so-slightly at the ends. His chest was chiseled, his muscles rippling with every movement. He never smiled, his face hard to read unless he was filled with fury, as he often was. His love of torture, pain, and death was the only hint of glee Tenebrae ever showed. His heart was as cold as a mid-winter's night and he loved none…or so Elysium thought.


	4. The Three Brothers

The brothers Zeus and Poseidon stood, their wings tucked neatly behind their backs. They exchanged goodbyes with the members of the Council of Light, the leading rebellion group against the Tyrant. The other nine members dispersed at a leisurely pace, a few staying behind briefly to exchange words with each other. Zeus turned to Poseidon, whispering something in his ear. Poseidon nodded, placing his right hand on Zeus' forearm. Zeus did the same with Poseidon. They shook once before Poseidon walked out of the room and into the Hall of Windows. Poseidon, his wings white with blue and green underlying tones, walked to one of the glassless windows, looking out at the City of Light below him. The palace had been built over a century ago and had been nearly abandoned by half of its original inhabitants, but it still retained its luminous shine. The gold had never faded with time, nor had the marble cracked with the abuse of heavy foot. The City of Light was a true marvel, despite having been overtaken by shadow years ago.

Poseidon extended his wings, heaving a sigh of relief when they beat and lifted him a foot or two off the ground. He jumped from the window, soaring above the city. The once vibrant homes lay empty and faded beneath him. He furrowed his eyebrows and kept flying, passing the broken gates that led into the City of Light. Finally, he made it to the sea, the place of his birth and the reason his wings were tinted blue and green.

Poseidon landed on a cliff overlooking the sea, his wings settling comfortably behind his back. He put his elbows on his knees, leaning forward and taking a deep breath of the warm sea air. He found himself drifting into his sub-conscious when the sky around him darkened and a great shadow extended toward him from the woods.

Whoever approached him had jet-black hair, the legendary sword Vastatoris at his side. Poseidon was unable to move, falling onto his back and staring up at the man with pure fear behind his eyes. The being stopped a few feet from him, the muscles that adorned his body moving with his movements. Poseidon knew that this was Tenebrae himself…darkness incarnate… the enemy to the Council of Light. Tenebrae moved closer, one hand reached out as if to grab Poseidon. Poseidon shot into the air, flying as fast as his wings could take him back to the City of Light. It seemed the city could not come into his sight sooner as he flew faster and faster until he began to shudder with exertion and fall from the sky, barely able to pick himself back up and continue.

Poseidon landed in the Hall of Windows and sprinted to Zeus' chamber. "Brother…I have news!" Poseidon was hardly able to control himself, his words coming out too erratically to comprehend. His hands shook with exhaustion and he panted heavily while he tried to catch his breath. Zeus stood, his wings still tucked neatly behind his back as if he were surrounded by his people, even though he was not. "Tenebrae…in human form…out by the sea!" He spoke through his gasps, his wings shuddering from the hard work they had just done.

"That's not possible." Zeus shook his head, his voice hard. Poseidon stood straight up, his wings finally tucking themselves behind his back and his breath coming in regular intervals. "Tell me what you saw, brother." Zeus commanded, sitting on the edge of the window sill.

"Tenebrae himself approached me. The sword of legend lay at his side, brother. What does this mean?"

Zeus looked away from his brother, leaning forward and placing his forearms on his knees, hands clasped. "It means the world is in grave danger." Zeus finally looked up at his brother, his grey eyes growing slightly darker as the sky grew dense with heavy clouds that covered the City of Light.

"You are right…brother." A wispy, eerie voice said from the shadows in the corner. Zeus and Poseidon turned quickly towards the voice, swords at the ready. From the shadows stepped the youngest of the three brothers: Hades. He took a few steps forward, his smoky-grey armor casting dark shadows around the room where the candle's flame hit him. Poseidon and Zeus sheathed their swords, relaxing slightly. "Tenebrae has grown restless. His dominion over the City of Darkness grows with every passing hour." Hades hesitated, taking a few steps around the room before continuing. "A constant cloud of darkness surrounds the city… it grows darker with the acceleration of his rage. I have come to warn you."

"Warn us of what?" Zeus asked, sitting himself on the edge of the window sill once again. Hades watched his brother with his unusually dark eyes, eventually looking away to gaze out at the sky.

"Tenebrae speaks of war against the City of Light. I have overheard him planning the destruction of the City and all of her inhabitants... forever."


	5. Tenebrae

"Forever?" A masculine voice asked in a heavily sarcastic manner. Zeus shot up, turning to see a massive shadow demon pressed up against the glass. Zeus let out a startled yelp, falling back and scuttling away from the window. It then shattered, letting the strong winds and cold rain into Zeus' chamber. The candle's flame died, extinguished by the sudden gust of wind. Tenebrae landed on the window sill, his dark-as-night wings twitching out of the way of the broken glass in one rigid movement. The shadow demon followed him, crouching low behind him and moving his head constantly from side to side in sharp, sudden movements. "It certainly seems to be a worthy plan of the darkness within me… It sounds like something I would do." Tenebrae stared into their eyes as he talked, jumping down from the window sill and walking around the room.

"You've found me out. I plan on ruling this world…Without any mention of light." His voice grew hard and his eyes darkened, his anger showing plainly through his now red eyes. "At midnight, there will be a great battle at what you refer to as the Forgotten Palace. Bring your fighters, or darkness will consume your precious City of Light and all those who dwell within her walls." Tenebrae looked each of them in the eye once again before dissolving into the shadows that had overtaken the room.


	6. Old Scars

The ocean welcomed her with its icy embrace. She did not float, nor could her wings pull her from the unyielding tides of the harsh ocean. She fell further down still, the light of the fading day leaving her sight. The fire in her eyes dimmed as the darkness of the ocean consumed her. _So this is how it ends?_

A strong hand encased her wrist, pulling her into a muscular and very cold body. She only saw darkness, shadow within shadow encasing her. She knew she was going to die, and there was nothing she could do to change that. Yet, here she was being pulled forcefully from the depths of the sea.

"Breathe, Lux." Hard lips pushed against hers, breathing into her and stealing a kiss. She coughed, letting the salty ocean waters rush out of her lungs. She looked up, seeing grey eyes that she had not seen before. He straightened his back, still holding her to him. His black wings were covering most of both of them, protecting them from the harsh rain.

"Tenebrae?" She whispered, confusion coating her every feature. She started to move away, but found that she could not. Tenebrae pulled her closer, touching her face gently. "This is unlike you, Tenebrae." She murmured, cringing at the pain that seared through her body. Tenebrae smiled and laughed, the grey heavy in his eyes. His smile touched them, which she had never before witnessed. The smile fell from his face in a matter of seconds as he looked deeply into her eyes before speaking.

"What happened? Did someone do this to you? They will not survive to see the dawn." He spoke so gently, with such caring in his voice that she lost her breath and could only stare at him. Finally, she shook her head, looking away from him and beginning to stand. He helped her up, grabbing one of her small hands in his, the other hand at the small of her back. He pulled her up; keeping a hold of her once she was on her feet. "What happened, Lux?"

Lux looked around, unsure of where she was. Not but three feet from where she stood lay an oak tree on its side, half of the once-sturdy trunk dangling over the edge of the cliff. "I fell…" Lux said, her eyes almost emotionless as she lied. She eventually turned so she was looking out at the ocean, taking her hand away from Tenebrae's. Tenebrae reluctantly let her go; keeping close to her to ensure she would not "fall" again. "Why did you save me, Tenebrae?" She asked, her head slightly turned to the left though her eyes remained set on the untamable ocean.

"I…You mustn't be harmed." He stood behind her, gazing at her though he could not see her face.

"…By anyone or anything other than you?" She turned toward him, her eyes ablaze with orange fire. She was soaking wet and her hair attached to her neck, but she didn't care. She stood unwaveringly, staring into his very soul.

"…yes." He replied, looking down for a moment before looking back up into her tormenting eyes. She looked away first, squaring her jaw and clenching her fists. "I have loved you since the beginning of time." Tenebrae said in a deep, soft voice, wavering slightly in the strong sea breeze that shot up onto the cliff.

"You should not have saved me." She whispered brokenly, turning from him completely and extending her perfect white wings. Before Tenebrae could grab her wrist and stop her from leaving, she rose from the ground and shot away from him like the lightning she had always controlled, disappearing into the setting sun.


	7. Shame

The ceiling had crumbled in, remnants of the old murals lying scorched on the cracked marble floor. Lux stood in the center of the charred Great Hall, her wings tucked behind her back. The walls were black, the windows torn and faded from the flames that had consumed them so long ago. Wild foliage grew in random patches along the floor, popping up in tufts around the windows and doors. The chandelier lay in shattered pieces scattered along the faded and yellowed floor, leaving only a few bare patches of marble that even time and abuse could not stain.

They called this the Forgotten Palace, destroyed by a fire eons ago. Little did they know what had caused the fire that had killed all who had dared be merry and lithe that fateful evening. One had survived the fire, Lux remembered, but even they had never given her away. Fury boiled up inside of her as she remembered why she had shown her immortal form to those mortals that night.

They had murdered, plundered, and taken anything they could get their greedy hands on, and that had angered her. _How dare they assume that they were greater than the Gods! How dare they assume that they could get away with killing those who were peaceful and sacred! How dare they-!_ Lux stopped, noticing a small figure lying on the ground. She walked over to it, stooping down to pick it up from the cold floor. It was a tiny doll made of the finest porcelain, blackened by flame…her flame. Lux fell to her knees, sadness gripping her. She had killed a tiny child who had done nothing wrong…and she had done it without caring.

The sun touched the edge of the luminous mountains, disappearing behind their rigid peaks in mere moments. Lux felt the light of the day fade away from her, allowing shadow and darkness to consume the once-great Hall. Lux closed her eyes, holding the porcelain doll to her chest for a moment before placing it on the floor gently. She stood, looking about her. Around all the walls and even on the floors stood candles bereft of flames. Lux took a deep breath in, exhaling and releasing a gentle flame that crawled across the hall and lit the candles. With another breath, she focused more and sent her flame throughout the abandoned castle. Light illuminated the dark passageways of the Forgotten Palace, casting shadows on portraits and marble statues of the Gods.

Lux found herself walking through those halls, gazing at the statues one at a time. She saw a statue of Tempus, the God of Time, in his mortal form when he came down at the time of the last destruction. Mortem, the God of Death, stood encased in shadow next to a statue of Tenebrae, his brother. Cupiditas, the Goddess of Desire stood at his side, attached to his arm with the look of mischief in her eye, as always. The statue of Lux stood directly opposite them, her sword in hand. Oceanus and Caelum, the Gods of the Sea and Sky stood next to the statue of Lux with their wings fully extended.


	8. Redeemed

"It does not fail to inspire…seeing the Gods in their mortal form… forever embodied in a slab of stone." Lux did not turn to see the speaker, barely acknowledging that someone had spoken at all. "I have seen a Goddess in her immortal form..." The man whispered, making Lux finally turn to get a sword to her abdominal. Light burst through the cut, shining all around the sword that stuck in her stomach. Lux felt her mouth fall open as she bent over onto the sword. She looked down at the sword for a moment before standing straight up and removing it from her flesh. Her skin closed quickly, creating a scar where the man had cut her.

His skin was scorched, blackened by fire from the very top of his head to the flesh of his hand. The left side of his face remained untouched by the scars, withered only by the passing of time. He took a step back, grabbing a sword hanging from the wall. Lux used the sword he originally stabbed her with to block his blows. He sliced her leg, but the wound healed too quickly even for the light to shine through. Lux took a single step forward, grabbing his sword from his hand. She felt both of them melt in her hands and fall onto the floor. "Who are you?"

"My name is Cronos. You ruined my life! Do you know what it's like to be unable to feel anything and be unable to die?!" Lux looked down, taking a step away from him and raising one hand. "What are you doing?" He asked frantically.

"I do know what it's like… never to die…to live with your scars…your pain. I understand all too well." From her hand emitted a light glow. It surrounded the man and clung to his skin like soft silk to a bed. Before her eyes, the man's scars healed, disappearing in mere moments. The man gazed down at his hand, watching the burns from the past lift from his skin in the glow. "Go…be at peace." Lux watched as the man hesitated and then disappeared into the shadows of the hallway.

"I did not believe you the type to regret your decisions, Lux."

"Mortem..." Lux turned toward the God of Death, her mortal form weak and tiny compared to his immortal one. He towered over her, about 10 feet in height with shadow wings that clung to his body like lost souls to a flame. Lux's wings were tucked behind her back, though they tensed at Mortem's presence. "Here to cast me into the depths of the ocean again?"

"No. I am here because of Tenebrae. I came to clean up after him." Mortem resembled his brother, though it was obvious he was not as wicked by the soft color of his eyes. When Lux asked Mortem what he meant, Mortem took a step toward her and tucked his wings behind his back. "At midnight, there is to be a great battle at this very palace. The residents of the City of Darkness are on edge, prepared to kill each and every one of the Light Dwellers. This is why you were drawn here tonight, Lux…why you were sent to Elysium in the first place. You must restore balance to this world…or join Tenebrae forever."

With that, Mortem disappeared into the shadows, the hoarse whisper of the word "forever" lingering in the ominous silence.


	9. The Battle

The Forgotten Palace's walls creaked and moaned, trembling under the weight of the approaching Army of the Golden City. Upon entering through the flying buttresses and broken marble statues that guarded the open courtyard, the army dispersed amongst the two levels and took their positions for battle. Zeus stood on the upper level, five of the members of the Council of Light standing along the perimeter. Poseidon stood in the center of the lower level, the other four members of the Council of Light standing sentry amongst the fighters. Each of the warrior's wings were free of their confines, tucked neatly behind their backs should they be called upon for use.

From the shadows of the courtyard came the Army of Shadow, sneaking up on the Army of the Golden City. Before some of the troops had a chance to fight, their throats were slit with poisoned blades. The corpses fell to the ground as more dark warriors advanced on the unsuspecting Light Dwellers. A scream pierced the silence as Hermes, a member of the Council of Light, was struck down by shadow. The warriors to both cities immediately turned to their opponents, silence disturbed by the crashing of metal on metal and the slick slice of metal into soft flesh. Light struck down shadow as shadow beheaded light. The fight between peoples raged on for hours as one side would seem to be nearing victory before the other would rise and change the odds.

"Look!" One of the warriors of the Army of the Golden City shouted, pointing up at the sky above the courtyard. Above them hovered none other than Tenebrae, his pitch black wings silhouetted against the moon-lit night. He gazed down at the battle with shocking blue eyes tinted heavily with shadow, his face utterly emotionless. At his waist lay Vastatoris, literally translating to "destroyer." The blade was composed of the darkest of night, the cross guard made of the bones of fallen immortals. Tenebrae landed in the center of the yard, gazing around him at the motionless warriors.

"Who told you to stop fighting?" The rhetorical question hung in the air as Tenebrae looked each of the warriors in the eye. He unsheathed Vastatoris in the blink of an eye, appearing suddenly behind Zeus. His flesh made a sickly sound as Vastatoris sliced through his heart effortlessly. Zeus looked down at the blade with his mouth agape, blood spilling over his bottom lip onto the shadow of the blade for a moment before Tenebrae removed it from his heart. Zeus crippled to the ground, shadow overtaking him as his body dissipated into dust. "Fight you cowards!" He roared, turning around and slicing through another warrior of the Army of the Golden City.

The battle continued as the night grew darker and the moon began to disappear behind the mountains. The Army of Shadow was at an advantage with Tenebrae. They easily slaughtered nine of the eleven members of the Council of Light until only Poseidon and Ares remained. Tenebrae turned to Poseidon, recognition passing through his eyes for a brief moment. The flicker of the torches' flame illuminated the gore splattered along Tenebrae's face and chest as he advanced on Poseidon. Poseidon fought off another shadow soldier, cutting him down in a jagged movement, making the soldier's blood spurt out onto Poseidon's armor in several staggered bursts. Tenebrae moved closer, pushing soldiers out of his way as his eyes fixed on Poseidon's. Poseidon stumbled back, finding himself at the base of the stairs that led up to the landing above the courtyard. He quickly mounted the spiral steps and ran to the top, stumbling to his knees on the final step.

Tenebrae followed at a leisurely pace, Vastatoris held loosely in his right hand. He approached Poseidon, hesitating for a moment as a sadistic smile crept onto his lips. Tenebrae leaned down and picked Poseidon up with one hand, raising him two feet above his own body.


	10. The End

A sudden burst of lightning struck the ground between Tenebrae and Poseidon, sending them both flying to opposite ends of the courtyard. Tenebrae rose immediately, the skin of his chest bubbling and sizzling, making sickly popping noises as the shadows around his body clung to his chest to heal the wound. He squared his jaw and pushed off his back foot, sprinting towards Poseidon with Vastatoris at his side. A strong arm close lined him, sending him straight to the ground absent of breath. Above him stood Lux, her hair flaming a dangerous red as the light that constantly surrounded her grew brighter.

The few remaining members of the Army of the Golden City cheered upon seeing her, warding off blows of the Army of Shadow as they awaited orders from their patron deity. Lux locked eyes with Tenebrae for a moment before taking a step away from him. From her hip, she pulled her sword of flame, twitching it in one circle around her hand as Tenebrae stood. They began to circle each other slowly, shadow eyes locked with scorching flames. Tenebrae was the first to strike, thrusting toward her. She blocked his blow easily, smirking at his pathetic attempt to wound her. She seemed barely to touch the ground as she feigned a thrust and quickly jabbed her sword onto his arm, slicing neatly into his flesh. Red blood flowed from the wound for a moment before the wound closed.

"I see… you have made your decision." Tenebrae whispered, his eyes turning a deep blue as he sliced at her again, this time slicing her shoulder. She healed as quickly as he did, the blood that had spilled from the cut still on her arm. They exchanged blows, wounding each other enough to where their wounds did not heal quickly. Eventually, Lux grew irritated and took off into the air, her wings still white as snow. Tenebrae followed, the black of his wings contrasting to hers.

The sun began to rise as Lux and Tenebrae flew at each other with incredible velocity, colliding and throwing blows at one another. Tenebrae roared, complete darkness overtaking him. The light that surrounded Lux grew to be brighter than the sun. Once they collided again, the contrast between light and darkness sent them hard into the faded courtyard's floor. Tenebrae lay in the dirt, the rising sun breaking through the clouds. Lux pulled herself from the concrete, yanking her wings from the slab of stone. She had never been so bright, her eyes liquid fire. She pulled her sword from her side and advanced on Tenebrae with hatred in her eyes. Tenebrae barely rose in time to ward off her blows. From his knees, Tenebrae blocked the blows that rained down on him. In one simple moment of hesitation on Lux's part, Tenebrae moved Vastatoris swiftly from its blocking position.

Everything went silent as Lux stared down at Tenebrae with shocked blue eyes. Tenebrae blinked several times and looked down from her eyes to the sword which protruded from Lux's chest. Her blood pooled out onto her body, all of the previous scars she'd ever received opening up and letting her blood pool from them. She opened her mouth, looking down at the sword. She fell into Tenebrae's arms, her white wings stained with rose-red blood. He held her in his arm as he forced the blade from her chest. She gasped and fell limp, her breath quickening and her eyes becoming glazed. She looked into Tenebrae's eyes as he gathered her in his arms and surrounded the two of them with his wings.

"I have always loved you…Tenebrae." His name lingered on her blood-stained lips as the fire died from her eyes and her body went numb. Tenebrae shook her, moving a strand of her hair from her face as he trembled. Ages seemed to pass before Tenebrae gazed up at the sky and let out an agonizing scream. The members of the two armies stared on in shock, unable to move. Tenebrae held Lux's corpse to his body, curling his body over hers as tears fell from his eyes for the very first time.

A heavy rain began to fall, stinging the flesh of all who stood sentry in the courtyard of the Forgotten Palace. The people, however, did not move. They couldn't, they were transfixed on the scene before them. The sky was dark, heavy clouds blocking out the light of the rising sun as rain fell harder and harder as Tenebrae's tears continued to flow.

Lightning struck above the palace, making Tenebrae look up into the sky slowly, his blue eyes unblinking in the falling rain. "Lux?" He whispered.

When he gazed back down at his hands, he found that Lux's corpse had dissipated and was gone, leaving only her sword on the cold ground. Tenebrae stood, trembling from head to toe. Hades and Poseidon were gone, the rest of the warriors left to flee the Forgotten Palace as fast as they could as Tenebrae shed his mortal form and took to the sky in his immortal one. He stood in the very center of the courtyard, the rain barely touching his immortal form. Suddenly Lux stood beside him, her hair a torch's flame.

She gazed up at Tenebrae and he gazed down at her, her white wings extended behind her and his black ones behind him. He took her in his arms, pulling her waist with his strong hands. He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers, closing his eyes and holding her to him. When she pressed back and accepted the darkness, the buildings crumbled in on themselves and the landmarks the people of Elysium had built exploded into dust. Wings collapsed in a swarm of shadow and the people disintegrated in a flash of light, the land of Elysium forever disappearing in the darkest of light.


End file.
